Much like a veteran vigilante straining to fit back into a discarded uniform, Invincible is bursting with a sprawling cast of heroes and scoundrels who defy simple moral categorization. While the series introduces fresh faces at a breakneck pace, it often leaves legacy characters in the rearview mirror. However, in the fourth episode of season 4, the hit animated drama finally revisits a fan-favorite noir figure who hasn’t been a major player since the inaugural season: Damien Darkblood.
[Note: Significant spoilers for Invincible season 4, episode 4 follow.]Voiced with gravelly gravitas by Clancy Brown, Darkblood is a demonic sleuth searching for a path to redemption. During Invincible season 1, Cecil Stedman (Walton Goggins), the pragmatic director of the Global Defense Agency, enlisted Damien to solve the brutal assassination of the Guardians of the Globe. Yet, when the detective’s instincts led him to uncomfortable truths, Cecil callously banished him back to the infernal depths.
Aside from a fleeting post-credits teaser in season 3, the show has largely ignored Damien’s fate. That changes in “Hurm,” where Invincible finally provides a status update on the demon detective.
Image: Amazon MGM Studios
“Hurm” opens within the scorching landscape of Hell, where Damien and a squad of demons find themselves overwhelmed by a formidable adversary named Volcanikka (Indira Varma). In this brutal civil war for subterranean control, Volcanikka’s molten legion is winning. Barely surviving the onslaught, Damien recovers the remains of his comrades and retreats to a sanctuary where a diminished Satan (Bruce Campbell) struggles to restore his fallen soldiers.
In a last-ditch effort to turn the tide, Damien attempts to summon Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), but the spell brings his son, Invincible (Steven Yeun), instead. The duo eventually aligns to thwart Volcanikka’s ambitions. In a subversive twist, it’s revealed that Satan and his inner circle are actually serving as the world’s ultimate gatekeepers, preventing a far more catastrophic darkness from escaping the abyss.
Image: Amazon MGM Studios
Unlike many storylines in the Invincible universe, which conclude in carnage or existential dread, this excursion ends on a surprisingly positive note. The infernal defenders prevail, and while Volcanikka survives to promise future vengeance, the immediate threat is neutralized. Additionally, the encounter provides Mark with a much-needed psychological boost just as a daunting new obstacle emerges in the episode’s closing minutes.
Most encouragingly, the conclusion of “Hurm” sees Damien redeployed to the surface world as an emissary for Satan. This role as a terrestrial observer suggests that fans won’t have to wait several more seasons for the demon detective to make his next appearance.
Invincible season 4 releases new episodes every Wednesday on Prime Video.
Source: Polygon
